The urban nature sites taking part

This programme, funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, carried out SROI analyses of four urban nature sites. It enabled us to value some of the social, economic and environmental benefits that the sites deliver for their local communities.

The urban nature sites which took part  in the programme were:

• Glen Mile Mountain Bike Trail an urban mountain bike trail in the Cumberland Glen Wildlife Reserve managed by Scottish Wildlife Trust
• Coronation Garden in Spier’s Old School Ground, Beith, the reinstatement by volunteers of a community garden
• Woods for Health Pilot at Kinnoull Hill, Perth, ‘green presciption’ activities for people with severe and enduring mental health support needs
• Dumbreck Marsh Local Nature Reserve, Kilsyth, a school EcoClub’s use of a local nature reserve

The programme findings

Key report findings include:

• everyone who is involved needs to have a basic understanding of the SROI process in its simplest form - that is about measuring and valuing chang
• only one of many activities that take place on a site may be being valued
• SROI reports are valuable tools to inspire confidence, credibility and secure investment
• the monetisation of outcomes is a critical element of the process and the ratio of costs to benefits is essential

More generally, the report highlights a widespread lack of understanding and application of outcomes based approaches to project planning and evaluation.

The report presents an appraisal of the benefits and challenges of using the SROI approach and of its applicability as a means of demonstrating the value of greenspace activities from the perspective of those organisations that participated in the programme.